The rich rural scenery of North Fife, Scotland, provides variety from the historic city of St Andrews and the quaint harbours of the East Neuk of Fife. A Royal Palace in Falkland, a Folk Museum in Ceres, a National Trust Mansion House near Cupar, Balmerino Abbey, Lindores Abbey, Newburgh, Dunbog, Glenduckie, Creich, Birkhill, Ballinbreich, Abdie, Upper Flisk and more in beautiful North East Fife. Also the occasional wander.

Monday, November 23, 2009

As viewed from the North on the esplanade Kirkcaldy FifeInchkeith (Gaelic: Innis Cheith) is an island in the Firth of Forth, Scotland. It is part of Fife.Inchkeith has had a colourful history as a result of its proximity to Edinburgh and strategic location for use as home for a lighthouse and for military purposes defending the Firth of Forth for attack from shipping, and more recently protecting the upstream Forth Road Bridge, and Rosyth Dockyard. Inchkeith has by some accounts has been inhabited (intermittently) for almost 1800 years.Inchkeith is approximately half the size of the Isle of May at the mouth of the Firth, but is higher. Beyond and to the West are Salisbury Crags and Arthur's Seat which is the main peak of the group of hills which form most of Holyrood Park, a remarkably wild piece of highland landscape in the centre of the city of Edinburgh, about a mile to the East of Edinburgh Castle. The hill rises above the city to a height of 251 m (820 ft). In between are a small group of rocks called East Vows.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

The River Tay by Newburgh North Fife November 18th. A dreich day, dull, murky, cold, wet of a kind that finds ageing joints without much feeling good factor. We have had huge rainfalls along with the rest of the UK leaving much standing water on the land and on the road to Newburgh springs have erupted forcing up the tarmacadam creating ever deeper holes assisted by road traffic. The weather being what it is will change for the better or worse, a tiny impact compared to so many other places. It seems we are into a sustained period of extremes.

Monday, November 16, 2009

16th Gyalwa Karmapa. His Holiness Rangjung Rigpe Dorje died on November 5th 1981 in the film posted below one can gain insight into his powerful spiritual presence and stature. In 1978 and 1980 I had the great fortune to spend many months photographing His Holiness, The regents, Shamar Rimpoche, Jamgon Khongtrul Rimpoche, Gyaltsap Rimpoche, Situ Rimpoche and many others of the Karma Kargyudpa Lineage. Monks, Paintings, Rupas, Texts dances etc. The experience was transforming. Gregg Eller's film has sparked and rekindled those memories for which I am very thankful. I retain an archive of large format photographs of those times which can be now printed up to A2 Giclee on archive quality heavyweight paper, if you so wish.

Recalling A Buddha, a film by Gregg Eller. The life story of the Sixteenth Karmapa is told by those close to him in Tibet, the generation of teachers that he trained and many others that he touched. This feature-length film looks closely at enlightened qualities and examines them in the context of historical events such as the fall of Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism's migration to the West.

How Karmapa lived and how he died gives us the example of an awakened being: a person with a noble heart.

The DVD includes two hours of Extras material:

1. Interview with a Buddha: Karmapa XVI, Jamgon Kongtrul and Karmapa's retunie appeared on a half hour talk show. The entire program is the extra.2. The Ceremony of the Vajra Crown: In 1980, a director who would later be nominated for an Oscar filmed the Black Crown ceremony in beautiful 16mm color.3. The Line of Karmapas: Thrangu Rinpoche, senior teacher of the Karma Kagyu lineage, eminent scholar Gene Smith, and Beru Khyentse Rinpoche share thoughts on the previous 15 incarnations of Karmapas.4. Preserving the Dharma Texts: H.E. Shamar Rinpoche and Gene Smith recount the partnership between the Sixteenth Karmapa and the U.S. Library of Congress to reprint sacred texts brought out of Tibet and made available to the newly forming monasteries in Asia.5. Rumtek: various "alumni" of Rumtek monastery, seat of the Karmapas share memories of living in a high concentration of realized masters.6. Connecting to Karmapa: Westerners who entered the mandala of the Karmapa share how they came to relate to the Sixteenth Karmapa.

Friday, November 13, 2009

An Exhibition of Paintings from Newburgh and beyond by Meg C Weeks. A talented young American Artist spent October as Artist in Residence at The Steeple WASP Studios, Newburgh, North Fife culminating in an exhibition of oil paintings executed in the field. Meg can be contacted:- www.megcweeks.com

By Newburgh North Fife.

Exhibition of paintings, Newburgh and environs executed October 2009 by Meg C Weeks.

Today I was delighted to come across this wonderful video. It has completely assuaged my antipathy towards the Welsh. Take the time to enjoy this really creative, clever, humorous video. If there is such a thing as Oscars for video production, then surely this must be a candidate. Go on spoil yourself. It beats dancing bears, dogs through hoops, just about most things and you don't need wellies to enjoy.

The War Memorial on Remembrance Day Newburgh North Fife 2009. The end of the day in the setting sun the memorial remained silent. On Remembrance Sunday the weather was kind to the gathered crowd who paid respects with singing by children from Newburgh Primary School.

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Halloween (also spelled Hallowe'en) is an annual holiday celebrated on October 31. It has roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian holy day of All Saints, but is today largely a secular celebration. Strangely I spent this time in a cemetery viewing graves and headstones, there's nothing quite like it to bring to focus ones own eventual mortality. The pervading ambience was of decay and regeneration. The fallen leaves and the issue of the fruiting bodies of fungi.

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About Me

In 1979 I moved To North Fife from the Borders originally for a year, became captivated and have loved being here ever since. In a word magic. The climate, peoples, environment, air. views, All is quite wonderful and maybe on my blog you too can get a feel of that and enjoy too. I am art and craft trained from 11 years old leading me to photography/giclee printing from my studio in The Steeple Newburgh North Fife. All Photographs subject to copyright